Grimms' Fairy Tales — Page 11

English → It Full Text Level 4/10

' But the young man refused to do it: so the fox said, 'I will at any rate give you good counsel: beware of two things; ransom no one from the gallows, and sit down by the side of no river.'

Ma il giovane si rifiutò di farlo: allora la volpe disse: 'In ogni caso ti darò un buon consiglio: guardati da due cose; non riscattare nessuno dalla forca, e non sederti sulla riva di nessun fiume.'

Then away he went.

Poi se ne andò.

'Well,' thought the young man, 'it is no hard matter to keep that advice.'

'Bene,' pensò il giovane, 'non è una cosa difficile seguire quel consiglio.'

He rode on with the princess, till at last he came to the village where he had left his two brothers.

Cavalcò avanti con la principessa, finché alla fine giunse al villaggio dove aveva lasciato i suoi due fratelli.

And there he heard a great noise and uproar; and when he asked what was the matter, the people said, 'Two men are going to be hanged.'

E lì udì un gran rumore e trambusto; e quando chiese cosa stesse succedendo, la gente disse: 'Due uomini stanno per essere impiccati.'

As he came nearer, he saw that the two men were his brothers, who had turned robbers; so he said, 'Cannot they in any way be saved?'

Avvicinandosi, vide che i due uomini erano i suoi fratelli, che si erano dati alla rapina; allora disse: 'Non possono essere salvati in alcun modo?'

But the people said 'No,' unless he would bestow all his money upon the rascals and buy their liberty.

Ma la gente disse 'No,' a meno che non volesse dare tutto il suo denaro ai farabutti e comprare la loro libertà.

Then he did not stay to think about the matter, but paid what was asked, and his brothers were given up, and went on with him towards their home.

Allora non si fermò a riflettere sulla questione, ma pagò quanto richiesto, e i suoi fratelli furono liberati, e proseguirono con lui verso casa.

And as they came to the wood where the fox first met them, it was so cool and pleasant that the two brothers said, 'Let us sit down by the side of the river, and rest a while, to eat and drink.

E quando giunsero al bosco dove la volpe li aveva incontrati per la prima volta, era così fresco e gradevole che i due fratelli dissero: 'Sediamoci sulla riva del fiume, e riposiamoci un po', per mangiare e bere.

Vocabulary

Ma: Conjunction meaning 'but', used to contrast ideas.
il: Masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'.
giovane: Young person or adjective meaning 'young'.
si: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself', 'herself', or 'itself'.
rifiutò: Past tense of rifiutare; he/she refused to do something.
di: Preposition meaning 'of', 'to', or 'from'.
farlo: Infinitive fare combined with lo; meaning 'to do it'.
allora: Adverb meaning 'then', 'at that point', or 'so'.
la: Feminine singular definite article meaning 'the'.
volpe: Noun meaning 'fox', a cunning animal character.
disse: Past tense of dire; he/she said something.
In: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'into', indicating location.
ogni: Adjective meaning 'every' or 'each', used with singular nouns.
caso: Noun meaning 'case' or 'situation'; 'in ogni caso' means anyway.
ti: Second person singular indirect pronoun meaning 'to you'.
darò: Future tense of dare; I will give something to someone.
un: Masculine singular indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
buon: Adjective meaning 'good', shortened form before masculine nouns.
consiglio: Noun meaning 'advice' or 'counsel' given to someone.
guardati: Reflexive imperative of guardarsi; meaning 'beware' or 'watch out'.
da: Preposition meaning 'from', 'by', or 'since'.
due: Number meaning 'two', referring to a pair of things.
cose: Plural noun meaning 'things' or 'matters'.
non: Negation adverb meaning 'not', used before verbs.
riscattare: Verb meaning 'to ransom' or 'to redeem' someone captive.
nessuno: Pronoun or adjective meaning 'nobody', 'no one', or 'none'.
dalla: Contraction of da and la; meaning 'from the'.
forca: Noun meaning 'gallows', a structure used for hanging.
e: Conjunction meaning 'and', connecting words or phrases.
sederti: Reflexive infinitive of sedersi; meaning 'to sit yourself down'.
sulla: Contraction of su and la; meaning 'on the'.
riva: Noun meaning 'bank' or 'shore' of a river or lake.
nessun: Adjective meaning 'no' or 'not any', before masculine nouns.
fiume: Noun meaning 'river', a flowing body of fresh water.
Poi: Adverb meaning 'then' or 'afterwards', indicating sequence.
se: Reflexive pronoun 'himself/herself'; also conjunction 'if'.
ne: Particle meaning 'of it', 'away', or used in set phrases.
andò: Past tense of andare; he/she/it went away.
Bene: Adverb or interjection meaning 'well' or 'good'.
pensò: Past tense of pensare; he/she thought about something.
è: Third person singular of essere; meaning 'is'.
una: Feminine singular indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one'.
cosa: Noun meaning 'thing' or 'matter'; also 'what' in questions.
difficile: Adjective meaning 'difficult' or 'hard' to accomplish.
seguire: Verb meaning 'to follow' someone or advice given.
quel: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that', before masculine nouns.
Cavalcò: Past tense of cavalcare; he/she rode on horseback.
avanti: Adverb meaning 'forward', 'ahead', or 'onward'.
con: Preposition meaning 'with', indicating accompaniment.
principessa: Noun meaning 'princess', a female member of royalty.
finché: Conjunction meaning 'until' or 'as long as'.
alla: Contraction of a and la; meaning 'to the' or 'at the'.
fine: Noun or adjective meaning 'end', 'conclusion', or 'fine'.
giunse: Past tense of giungere; he/she arrived or reached a place.
al: Contraction of a and il; meaning 'to the' or 'at the'.
villaggio: Noun meaning 'village', a small rural settlement.
dove: Adverb meaning 'where', indicating a location or place.
aveva: Past imperfect of avere; he/she/it had something.
lasciato: Past participle of lasciare; meaning 'left' or 'abandoned'.
i: Masculine plural definite article meaning 'the'.
suoi: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'their' (plural).
fratelli: Plural noun meaning 'brothers' or 'siblings'.
E: Conjunction meaning 'and', connecting words or clauses.
lì: Adverb meaning 'there', indicating a place previously mentioned.
udì: Past tense of udire; he/she heard a sound or noise.
gran: Adjective meaning 'great' or 'loud', shortened before nouns.
rumore: Noun meaning 'noise' or 'sound', often loud or disruptive.
trambusto: Noun meaning 'commotion', 'uproar', or 'turmoil'.
quando: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when', indicating time.
chiese: Past tense of chiedere; he/she asked about something.
stesse: Imperfect subjunctive of stare; what was happening or occurring.
succedendo: Gerund of succedere; meaning 'happening' or 'occurring'.
gente: Noun meaning 'people' or 'folk', used as singular collective.
Due: Number meaning 'two', referring to two specific persons.
uomini: Plural noun meaning 'men', adult male human beings.
stanno: Third person plural of stare; they are in a state of.
per: Preposition meaning 'for', 'in order to', or 'through'.
essere: Infinitive meaning 'to be', fundamental Italian auxiliary verb.
impiccati: Past participle of impiccare; meaning 'hanged' by the neck.
Avvicinandosi: Reflexive gerund of avvicinarsi; meaning 'drawing near' or approaching.
vide: Past tense of vedere; he/she saw or noticed something.
che: Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that', 'which', or 'who'.
erano: Past imperfect of essere; they were in a certain state.
dati: Past participle of dare; here meaning 'given over' to crime.
rapina: Noun meaning 'robbery' or 'theft', often with violence.
Non: Negation adverb meaning 'not', used before verbs.
possono: Third person plural of potere; they can or are able to.
salvati: Past participle of salvare; meaning 'saved' or 'rescued'.
in: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'into', indicating location or manner.
alcun: Adjective meaning 'any', often used in negative contexts.
modo: Noun meaning 'way', 'manner', or 'method' of doing.
No: Negative interjection meaning 'no', expressing denial or refusal.
a: Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'.
meno: Adverb meaning 'less'; 'a meno che' means 'unless'.
volesse: Imperfect subjunctive of volere; if he/she wanted something.
dare: Infinitive meaning 'to give' something to someone.
tutto: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all', 'everything', or 'whole'.
suo: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
denaro: Noun meaning 'money' or 'cash' as a general term.
ai: Contraction of a and i; meaning 'to the' (masculine plural).
farabutti: Plural noun meaning 'scoundrels', 'rascals', or 'villains'.
comprare: Infinitive meaning 'to buy' or 'to purchase' something.
loro: Pronoun meaning 'their', 'them', or 'they'.
libertà: Noun meaning 'freedom' or 'liberty', being free from captivity.
Allora: Adverb meaning 'then', 'so', or 'at that point'.
fermò: Past tense of fermare; he/she stopped or came to halt.
riflettere: Verb meaning 'to reflect', 'think over', or 'ponder'.
questione: Noun meaning 'question', 'matter', or 'issue' under consideration.
ma: Conjunction meaning 'but', used to introduce a contrast.
pagò: Past tense of pagare; he/she paid a required sum.
quanto: Pronoun or adverb meaning 'how much' or 'as much as'.
richiesto: Past participle of richiedere; meaning 'required' or 'requested'.
furono: Past tense of essere; they were (in a completed action).
liberati: Past participle of liberare; meaning 'freed' or 'released'.
proseguirono: Past tense of proseguire; they continued onward on their journey.
lui: Subject pronoun meaning 'he' or 'him'.
verso: Preposition meaning 'toward' or 'in the direction of'.
casa: Noun meaning 'house' or 'home', a place of residence.
giunsero: Past tense of giungere; they arrived or reached a destination.
bosco: Noun meaning 'wood' or 'forest', a wooded natural area.
li: Third person plural object pronoun meaning 'them'.
incontrati: Past participle of incontrare; meaning 'met' or 'encountered' someone.
prima: Adverb or adjective meaning 'before', 'first', or 'earlier'.
volta: Noun meaning 'time' or 'occasion'; 'prima volta' means first time.
era: Past imperfect of essere; he/she/it was something.
così: Adverb meaning 'so', 'thus', or 'in this way'.
fresco: Adjective meaning 'fresh', 'cool', or 'pleasant' in temperature.
gradevole: Adjective meaning 'pleasant', 'agreeable', or 'enjoyable'.
dissero: Past tense of dire; they said something to someone.
Sediamoci: Reflexive imperative of sedersi; meaning 'let us sit down'.
del: Contraction of di and il; meaning 'of the' or 'some'.
riposiamoci: Reflexive imperative of riposarsi; meaning 'let us rest'.
po': Shortened form of poco; meaning 'a little' or 'a bit'.
mangiare: Infinitive meaning 'to eat' food or a meal.
bere: Infinitive meaning 'to drink' a liquid or beverage.

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